Planet Hostel

I liked this hostel. It’s clean and spacious, with modern bathrooms and dorms, big beds, private spots for your things, and hot showers. They give you a towel, too, and the atmosphere is nice. The kitchen in the inner yard is large, though it could use more cutlery and a lighter. The bar has more of a party feel, and the location is good. The one thing I didn’t like was the tour sales pitch. They told us tourists get killed if they take public transport. What a lie!

We booked a trip through the hostel, but when we came back that night, at 8 pm, they told us there was no space and we weren’t going. We were left with no alternative, and the receptionist didn’t seem to care. The tour to Palenqué that we did with them, though, was excellent. Our driver got us everywhere first, so we could enjoy the waterfalls and breakfast without crowds. On the recommendation, we and the others from the hostel stayed overnight in the jungle instead of returning to San Cristobal. It was convenient and a great experience. I stayed two nights, which was enough for me. My six-person women’s room was nice, relatively clean, and quiet, while my boyfriend’s 16-person dorm was very dirty and loud. Both rooms had two bathrooms. There aren’t lockers in the rooms, so bags and other things end up on the floor; small lockers are available at reception, supposedly for safety, but we found them inconvenient. We didn’t use the kitchen because it was quite dirty, though others did. They ran out of drinking water, and when I asked at reception, the man said we drank too much and there was none left. I mention it because he was rude to me when I’d just arrived. For the price it’s okay, but we wouldn’t return. The place had a strange vibe we didn’t enjoy. If you’re a party traveler, smoke, and are pretty carefree, you might like it. Check it out if that’s your scene.

Bibi was at the front desk when I arrived. I hadn’t booked ahead, but she found me an affordable private room and arranged a Canyon tour even though it was already a bit late. The staff are friendly, the small hostel has a welcoming vibe, and the shared bathrooms are constantly being looked after by the cleaners. Breakfast, tea, and coffee are available for $50. I had a pleasant stay.

The owner and receptionists are kind and helpful, and the kitchen is really nice with good vibes. I had a great experience overall. The only thing I didn’t like was that our room had no hot water. After a couple of days, the receptionist told us there were known problems with that room’s shower. We used the common-area shower instead, and it was great.